5-Question Survey: Rising and Sinking

The series of questions presented in this
activity will help you find out your ideas or your students' ideas about
matter. As highlighted in this video series, when we articulate our misconceptions,
we are taking the first step to rectifying them.

Surveying is one of many educational strategies
that teachers can use to elicit ideas. Even a brief survey, such as the
one presented next, can provide a learning opportunity for students and
teachers alike. Students can reveal their misconceptions for the first
time as well as open their minds to accepting scientific points of view.
Teachers can form a basis for making instructional decisions, whether
to validate students' correct yet unsure ideas, confront student misconceptions,
reinforce ideas that are forming, or complement ideas that are accurate
but only partial explanations.

When viewing the answers to each of the
survey questions, you will also see how others answered the questions.

Before you complete the survey, please
identify who you are (pick just one):

I am a teacher. I instruct:
Grades K-2
Grades 3-6
Grades 7-12
College students